Medical usage connector assembly for the transfer of fluids

Abstract

The invention relates to a connector assembly ( 10 ) for the transfer of fluids, particularly fluids comprising an active agent from a reservoir to a medical device for dosage, comprising: a first connector element ( 20 ), pertaining to the reservoir with first fixing means ( 23 ), a second connector element ( 10 ), pertaining to the medical dosage device with second fixing means ( 12 ), cooperating with the first fixing means to give an irreversible connection between the two elements. The first and second elements are embodied such as to cooperate with other by clipping on a single translational movement of a connector element relative to the other to produce the irreversible connection, characterized in that at least one of the connection elements is embodied with means to render the same breakable.

1. A connection assembly for transferring a fluid, particularly a fluid containing active products, from a reservoir to a medical delivery device comprising:
 a first connection element associated with the reservoir and comprising first retaining means and a reservoir interface; 
 a second connection element associated with the medical delivery device and comprising a medical delivery interface and second retaining means capable of cooperating with the first retaining means to form an irreversible connection between the two elements; 
 wherein the first and second connection elements further comprise a perforator capable of piercing a medicine vial, which is reversibly connectable to standard connectors allowing fluid transfer therethrough before an irreversible connection is made with the other element, the respective retaining means is positioned between the perforator and the respective interface; and 
 wherein the first and second retaining means are arranged such that they cooperate with each other by clipping during a single translation movement of one connection element with respect to the other to make the connection irreversible; and 
 wherein each perforator is aligned in the same direction at the time of the irreversible connection. 
 
     
     
       2. The connection assembly according to  claim 1 , wherein either the first or second retaining means comprises at least one elastically deformable tab and the other retaining means comprises at least one lip capable of cooperating with the tab. 
     
     
       3. The connection assembly according to  claim 2 , wherein either the first or second retaining means comprises two tabs located on opposite sides of the first or second connection element. 
     
     
       4. The connection assembly according to  claim 1 , wherein either the first or second retaining means comprises at least one recess and the other retaining means comprises at least one lip capable of cooperating with the recess. 
     
     
       5. The connection assembly according to  claim 2 , wherein the lip is elastically deformable. 
     
     
       6. The connection assembly according to  claim 1 , wherein either the first or second connection element comprises a male part and the other connection element comprises a female part with a shape complementary to the male part and capable of cooperating with the male part so as to make the connection leak tight. 
     
     
       7. The connection assembly according to  claim 6 , wherein the male and female parts are Luer cones with a taper of about 6%. 
     
     
       8. The connection assembly according to  claim 6 , wherein the male part is an essentially tubular shaped perforator. 
     
     
       9. The connection assembly according to  claim 1  wherein the assembly also comprises non-return means capable of preventing fluid from coming out after injection. 
     
     
       10. The connection assembly according to  claim 1 , wherein a weakened area in at least one of the first and second connection elements renders the at least one connection element breakable at the weakened area in response to a shear force applied thereto. 
     
     
       11. The connection assembly according to  claim 8 , wherein the second connection element makes use of the perforator to make reversible to make reversible connections onto receptacles before an irreversible connection is made with the first connection element. 
     
     
       12. A connection element for transfer of fluid, particularly fluid containing active products, from a reservoir to a medical delivery device, comprising:
 a first retaining means associated with a first interface, wherein the first retaining means are arranged such that they cooperate with a second retaining means in another connection element by clipping during a single translation movement between the two connection elements to make an irreversible connection between the two connection elements, the second retaining means associated with a second interface; and 
 wherein the first and second retaining means further comprises a perforator capable of piercing a medicine vial, which is reversibly connectable to standard connectors allowing fluid transfer therethrough before an irreversible connection is made with the other element, the respective retaining means is positioned between the perforator and the respective interface; and 
 wherein each perforator is aligned in the same direction at the time of the irreversible connection. 
 
     
     
       13. The connection assembly according to  claim 10 , wherein the weakened area comprises a notch. 
     
     
       14. The connection assembly according to  claim 13 , wherein the notch is continuous around an outer periphery of the at least one connection element. 
     
     
       15. The connection assembly according to  claim 3 , wherein the lip is elastically deformable. 
     
     
       16. The connection assembly according to  claim 4 , wherein the lip is elastically deformable. 
     
     
       17. The connection assembly according to  claim 4 , wherein the assembly also comprises non-return means capable of preventing fluid from coming out after injection. 
     
     
       18. A method for forming a connection for transferring a fluid, particularly a fluid containing active products, between a reservoir and a medical delivery device comprising the steps of:
 (i) reversibly connecting at least one of a first connection element having a perforator capable of piercing a medicine vial, the first connection element associated with the reservoir and a second connection element having a perforator capable of piercing a medicine vial, the second connection element associated with the medical delivery device to respective standard connectors via the perforator allowing fluid transfer therethrough before an irreversible connection is made with the other connecting element; 
 (ii) translating the first connection element having a first retaining means and a reservoir interface relative to the second connection element having a second retaining means and a medical delivery device interface, the respective retaining means is positioned between the perforator and the respective interface; 
 (iii) irreversibly connecting together the translated first and second connection elements through cooperation of the first and second retaining means, wherein each perforator is aligned in the same direction at the time of the irreversible connection; and 
 (iv) transferring a fluid between the reservoir and the medical delivery device through the irreversibly connected first and second connection elements. 
 
     
     
       19. The method of  claim 18 , further comprising applying a shear force to at least one of the irreversibly connected first and second connection elements causing at least one of the first and second connection elements to break at a weakened area provided therein. 
     
     
       20. The method of  claim 19 , wherein the weakened area comprises a notch. 
     
     
       21. The method of  claim 20 , wherein the notch is continuous around an outer periphery of the at least one connection element. 
     
     
       22. The means of  claim 12 , wherein a weakened area in at least one of the first and second retaining means renders the at least one retaining means breakable at the weakened area in response to a shear force applied thereto. 
     
     
       23. The method of  claim 19 , wherein the at least one of the first and second connection elements broken by application of the shear force is unable to form another irreversible connection with another one of the first and second connection elements. 
     
     
       24. The connection assembly according to  claim 1 , wherein the perforator is in a form of a spike. 
     
     
       25. The connection assembly according to  claim 2 , wherein either the first or second connection element comprises a male part and the other connection element comprises a female part with a shape complementary to the male part and capable of cooperating with the male part so as to make the connection leak tight. 
     
     
       26. The connection assembly according to  claim 3 , wherein either the first or second connection element comprises a male part and the other connection element comprises a female part with a shape complementary to the male part and capable of cooperating with the male part so as to make the connection leak tight. 
     
     
       27. The connection assembly according to  claim 4 , wherein either the first or second connection element comprises a male part and the other connection element comprises a female part with a shape complementary to the male part and capable of cooperating with the male part so as to make the connection leak tight.